Ok, this is where I will be posting my setting which was I have developed during the last 10 years and played the last 8. It will be a slow and tedious build, and when a section is finished a link will be applied to the index name. Of course I have just began translating my notes and memorized setting info, so not many links will be present at first.

The Setting at a glance:Northern Dhargenaas: The Kingdom of Silmaroth, Province of SilmarThe Province of Silmar is the cold and windswept area from the tip of Cape Murder in the North, to the Imperial Border in the south. Silmar is a place of suspicions and of persecutions; a place where magic users are burnt at the stake and crusades are launched frequently. The reasons for the crusades may wary, but the basics remain the same; the lure of the dark arts has consumed someone and a Crusade must be launched to purge that which has succumbed to darkness.

Silmar is also a land of dark coniferous forests and shadowy marshes filled with moss and mushrooms. The Province Silmar is separated from the Province of Ardamien by the huge mountain range known as the Cyllerean Mountains, wherein dwells the Mountain Trolls and the savage barbarian nations. The Province is also known for its many silver mines and its picturesque villages. Some travellers claim that Silmar is a paradise inhabited by the denizens of hell, a place so mysterious and beautiful that the inhabitants have become obsessed with the idea of cleansing it of evil. Thus they spend most of their lives, distrustful and looking over their shoulders; always prepared to point an accusing finger, before the finger is pointed at them.

Northern Dhargenaas: The Kingdom of Silmaroth, Province of ArdamienClansmen and Border Skirmishes

The Acaian Islands: The Isle of the GodsAncient relics and divine auras

Valkarhoth: The Incense IslandThe Sword and the Bell Master

Valkarhoth: Island of ValkarThe Depths of Untherion

Southern Old Continent: The Knights of K’Huron Eastern Old Continent: The Patriarchs of MariwNorthern and Western Old Continent: Empire of the Ascended OnesThe Old Continent: The Soarial Kantoresh Islands

Western Islands of Aumethorion: The Exalted NationOn the scattered islands off the western coast of Aumethorion lie the exalted Islands, proud homeland of the sole remaining Elven Kingdom. "The Exalted Nation" these elves call their Kingdom and it is an introverted and isolated Kingdom, where old ideals and faded glories are remembered fondly. While formerly an outpost of the Dhargenaas Civilization, the Exalted Nation is now the last remaining Elven Kingdom out of the Original Seven Gardens of Heaven. The islands are idyllic gardens of nature, ever shrouded in the spellmists of the High Spell-Weavers, making the surrounding sea treacherous waters indeed.

Ever since the fall of the other Kingdoms and the rise of man, the Elves have become increasingly xenophobic and racist. The "Exalted Elves" spend their immortal lives parading through the streets of Kiarenathas, watching classical pieces of art and practising their Zen Skills. They live in perpetual fear, ever dreading the "Last of days" when the "fearsome avatar of the Gods shalt forever change the lives of Elvenkind and uproot the ancient order". As a result of the rise of humanity, the ancient prophecies and their twisted interpretations, several cults have risen within the structure of society. These cults often teach that Elves are the only race worthy of life and sentience, the chosen people of God and the master race. An interesting side-effect of this is that other sentient races are now considered animals and may be hunted freely like other game.

(Note: The Elves of the "Prophecies of Redemption" campaign have nothing in common with the Aumethorion elves and do not share their views and biases. While the Aumethorion elves feed on hatred and fear, the remaining Dhargenaas elves seek absolution and harmony; a way to co-exits in a world far too brutal for their liking.)

The Setting at a glance:Northern Dhargenaas: The Kingdom of Silmaroth, Province of SilmarThe Province of Silmar is the cold and windswept area from the tip of Cape Murder in the North, to the Imperial Border in the south. Silmar is a place of suspicions and of persecutions; a place where magic users are burnt at the stake and crusades are launched frequently. The reasons for the crusades may wary, but the basics remain the same; the lure of the dark arts has consumed someone and a Crusade must be launched to purge that which has succumbed to darkness.

Silmar is also a land of dark coniferous forests and shadowy marshes filled with moss and mushrooms. The Province Silmar is separated from the Province of Ardamoth by the huge mountain range known as the Cyllerean Mountains, wherein dwells the Mountain Trolls and the savage barbarian nations. The Province is also known for its many silver mines and its picturesque villages. Some travellers claim that Silmar is a paradise inhabited by the denizens of hell, a place so mysterious and beautiful that the inhabitants have become obsessed with the idea of cleansing it of evil. Thus they spend most of their lives, distrustful and looking over their shoulders; always prepared to point an accusing finger, before the finger is pointed at them.

Northern Dhargenaas: The Kingdom of Silmaroth, Province of ArdamothClansmen and Border Skirmishes

The Acaian Islands: The Isle of the GodsAncient relics and divine auras

Valkarhoth: The Incense IslandThe Sword and the Bell Master

Valkarhoth: Island of ValkarThe Depths of Untherion

Southern Old Continent: The Knights of K’Huron Eastern Old Continent: The Patriarchs of MariwNorthern and Western Old Continent: Empire of the Ascended OnesThe Old Continent: The Soarial Kantoresh Islands

Western Islands of Aumethorion: The Exalted NationOn the scattered islands off the western coast of Aumethorion lie the exalted Islands, proud homeland of the sole remaining Elven Kingdom. "The Exalted Nation" these elves call their Kingdom and it is an introverted and isolated Kingdom, where old ideals and faded glories are remembered fondly. While formerly an outpost of the Dhargenaas Civilization, the Exalted Nation is now the last remaining Elven Kingdom out of the Original Seven Gardens of Heaven. The islands are idyllic gardens of nature, ever shrouded in the spellmists of the High Spell-Weavers, making the surrounding sea treacherous waters indeed.

Ever since the fall of the other Kingdoms and the rise of man, the Elves have become increasingly xenophobic and racist. The "Exalted Elves" spend their immortal lives parading through the streets of Kiarenathas, watching classical pieces of art and practising their Zen Skills. They live in perpetual fear, ever dreading the "Last of days" when the "fearsome avatar of the Gods shalt forever change the lives of Elvenkind and uproot the ancient order". As a result of the rise of humanity, the ancient prophecies and their twisted interpretations, several cults have risen within the structure of society. These cults often teach that Elves are the only race worthy of life and sentience, the chosen people of God and the master race. An interesting side-effect of this is that other sentient races are now considered animals and may be hunted freely like other game.

(Note: The Elves of the "Prophecies of Redemption" campaign have nothing in common with the Aumethorion elves and do not share their views and biases. While the Aumethorion elves feed on hatred and fear, the remaining Dhargenaas elves seek absolution and harmony; a way to co-exits in a world far too brutal for their liking.)

The Prophecies TrilogyThe Prophecies of RedemptionWherein the heroes are the last of the broken elven race and must journey through the lands of men, formerly their own Kingdom. This is a journey to save their souls, to redeem their race and to recover the forgotten artefacts needed to enter the Demon Lord's Citadel.

Main Quests:The Arcane ChambersThe Heroes must enter the Mage's Vault of Cursed Items and retrieve an artefact which dispels magic whether divine or mundane.

A Black day for the Black LegionThe heroes must enter a war-torn city in search for a tallow candle made by the long dead soul mage Karasthyrys. But the mage is not all that dead, his home not that abandoned and the candle is just one among many.

The Citadel of XolthogThe Heroes must enter and survive the Demon Lords Citadel and ultimately steal his sword; Demon Tongue.

Add-on quests:Within the Dreams of a MerchantThe Arch Mage Karasthyrys escaped and hid within the dreams of a maddened merchant. The Heroes must find the murderous merchant in the city of Salagan and enter his dreams while he is asleep.

Character Background Quests:By the Prince's TombWhat secrets does the elven leader hide? What grim decisions and lost faith does he wish remain hidden in the past? While the Lord of the Western Forest remain silent, the ghosts of those slain in his youth are all too willing to talk.

Echoes of PainThe Seer is a lady with a painful past. Within the temple of Sil'Durhon she must face her hidden fears and discover the awful truth of the Meruwian, the eternally raped elven females. The truth will not only unsettle her, but shake the Twins to the core of their being.

Moments of HappinessThe Conjuror is a man bereft of inner peace and happiness, but when the elves enter the Iskarali Grove, the trees claim him as their own and duty is replaced with happiness below the roots. Still it is not a decision the other elves can live with, for without the conjuror there is little hope. Thus the elves must approach the Spirit of the Forest and accept her challenge if the conjuror is to be regained

The Twins' Lost Love(Must be played after the "Echoes of Pain" scenario) Released from her torment, the love of the Twins' still cannot find peace and her ghost returns to haunt the unfortunate siblings. Each night she arrives in their meditational dreams; crying, begging, but they cannot understand her and their mediational dreams become ever more fevered and desperate.

The Prophecies of HopeWherein the human heroes are the protectors of an infant child, the saviour reborn, the one who shall redeem the elves and save humankind. This tells of the flight through the mountains with desperate armies and mercenaries hot in pursuit. This is the tale of alliances forged and heroes born, of deceitful gods and human love and friendship.

Main Quests:The battle of Herenberg FordWhen the Caliph-Emperor launch his surprise assault on the Kingdom of Silmaroth, the main force of the army engage the Silmarian army. Led by the Imperial Prince, Ali V, a crack unit of Imperial Cavallery strike into the mountains. Their task: To find and slay any newborn baby found within the village of Valdenoor.

At dawn the village is under attack, and the heroes must flee through the ancestral caves to stay alive. But there are dangers even within the caves, and the heroes soon discover that they are between a rock and a hard place.

When they finally exit the treacherous caves, they must cross the Herenberg Ford with hostile soldiers hot in pursuit. Will the arrival of unexpected allies be enough to save the day?

For the Love of a MaidenMarian, the mother of Camhol, is the elder's daughter, and was groomed to be married with the greatest hunter of the tribe. But she cast everything aside and found love within the embrace of a wanderer, a scandal and a disgrace; for the wanderer was the honoured guest of the Elder and not of the tribe.

After the tribal Shaman told of his visions of hunters out for the blood of the child, he uttered five words to Marian: "On Kireh the father dwells" (Kireh is a distant holy mountain).

The flight through the mountains is an arduous and long one, yet one day they stand at the base of mount Kireh. Marian is trembling with anticipation, but her dreams and hopes will come tumbling down as the party finally realize the full extent of their plight. For within the Sepulchre of the Slain God there are no easy truths.

The Dark WarWherein the elves and humans unite in the Unkaralth Citadel and where the ultimate prophecy becomes known (or does it?) As the madness of war descends and fell powers converge, old friends and brave heroes die. The saviour and his men must journey across the world to the strange continent of Aumethorion where they will face the hidden truth behind the prophecy and discover the dangers within the saviour.

The Unkaralth SummoningAs the elves and the humans debate, they disagree on major issues. The saviour has a solution to their disagreement; a summoning. A call to Pride, son of Arrogance, so that he may provide crucial answers to their questions.

But as the Saviour seeks to manipulate the demon, the demon spawns trouble of his own and soon the PCs must battle a strange curse which seems to affect anyone but them... or does it?

Coldforged Stand-alone ScenariosBotched DiplomacyLocation: City of Kaldarien, Duchy of WildengreeveAs the Empire and Silmaroth vye for the support of the Duchy of Wildengreeve, the emperor sends one of his sons on a diplomatic mission to Kaldarien.

Before the "diplomats" can perform their nefarious arts, the assassination of the Duke Valefinazzio, a fast vessel enters port with news of an Empire fleet en route to Kaldarien. The tables are turned and the diplomats have to dodge soldiers and an angry mob in an attempt to escape the hostile city alive.

Whispers within the BoudoirLocation: Province of Silmar, Kingdom of SilmarothThe population of Silmaroth know their High King as a promiscuous man, prone to wild flings and dalliances. When the burden of the Crown was placed upon his youthful head, he had to forsake womanizing for the matters of the state. When his first wife lost her head on the block, accused of witchcraft, evil tongues claimed that he had lost interest in her and sought the attention of the beautiful daughters of the nobility. Then two years ago he chose his second Queen.

Theresa von Cullenburgh is the second Queen of the High King. The rumours of her imminent execution and accusations of witchcraft reach the PCs just a day before the Queens agent deliver unto them a message: "The Queen has chosen them as her Champions and they must assist her in fleeing to her father in Cullenburgh".

As they flee from the agents of the King the men fall in love with the Queen and her breathtaking young maids at attendance.

Who is whispering in the Queens tent after nightfall? Why do the PCs always dream that the Queen walks among them in their sleep and what dark presence looms behind the King, a blight upon the entire royal line?

Crawlers in the DarknessLocation: City of ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Âºr-Kanesh, the Conquered Lands, the EmpireIn the city of ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Âºr-Kanesh the M'thula Mansion is not a place people dare mention. Too many strange occurences happen near that mansion. Too many corpses are found in nearby alleys, stabbed a dozen times and their faces locked in utter horror.

The mansion itself is older than the earliest of the city legends and its origins are lost, except for a few legends whispered in the nearby pubs and alehouses.

When the PCs are hired, by the new owner, to investigate what is really happening inside the building, they awaken an elder evil from its age long slumber. They quickly discover that some dreams were just not meant to be disturbed and some entities are better left alone.

The CompanionOn their journey the PCs pick up a hireling in a shoddy tavern. As they travel with him/her they have sudden flashbacks of memory, as if they have known this person before, or in... another life? Along with the segments of memory comes raw emotions; confusion, fear and panic.

Why are the PCs having these flashbacks? What could possibly link all of them to this stranger?

At the GatesWar background scenario:As the Imperial Army closes in on the Silmarian border town of Echolt, the city guards prepare themselves. But no one can prepare enough for war. When the Empire strikes, their inital attack tear through all of the city's defences. As the defense collapse, the PCs witness the human tragedies and cruelty of war. At the river gate the refugees amass while the enemy swarm into the city like angry bees.

The PCs must deal with problems big and small. From the crying girl who lost her mother to the bloodthirsty soldiers of the Empire. While the Imperial soldiers put the city to the torch, the PCs must create a diversion to let the innocents slip away. What better diversion, than to attract the attention of the Imperial Battlemages and their lethal storm of spellfire?

Only by entering the Museum Incantata, a prime target for powerhungry mages, can the PCs face the spellcasters unhindered and invoke their anger, thereby creating a diversion no one can ignore. To survive they will need to breach the Hexenjaeger Vault and steal the infamous sword Manahunger.

Solo AdventuresAn Enemy WithinWar background scenario:As the Imperial armies surge into southern Silmaroth, the whispers of treason grow louder and louder. Having fled from the carnage at Ecloth, a PC is approached by an agent of the Crown. He has a proposal: Find the traitor within the King's court and be rewarded like a royal prince.

The PC is geased by the King's agent and enters court to hunt an unknown spy. As the PC investigate, and gets involved in, court intrigues, the Silmarian armies are met with increasing success; but the tide of the war once again turn and the Empire gain the upper hand. The PC's search is futile, but after a while an enemy messenger is captured and within his bag are reports. Dozens of reports; all in the handwriting and with the signature of the PC.

The PC has to find answers, and quick, for the hangman's noose is the traitor's reward

She is not yoursDungeon crawl:Under the starry night sky, bound by an oath to the Moon, the PC veteran is married to his long sought love. The outdoor ritual is led by a local priest, a long time friend of the PC. A few close friends participate.

Beneath the hill lie the Everghoul, the lonely lord of the Lescio Hills. As the bride is wed, her tears of joy drop to the soil. The spirits of the soil taste the purity of the bride, and the lonely lord feels the spirit shudder, sense it's lust. A lust stronger than that of the spilling of blood, a lust born of untouched innocense.

Thus the Everghoul abduct the bride from her bed of marriage. The PC groom awaken to an empty room, save for the bride's veil, some soil and a chunk of icy cold flesh under the fluttering drapes of the balcony.

Guided by the divinations of the priest, the PC must enter the underhills and reclaim his bride, before she becomes one with the Everghoul, a victim to his rapacious lust and hunger.

A change of focus!I have concentrated on dark and horror related stuff the previous year. Now I change my focus and will concentrate on "lighter things". I need a looong vacation from dark fantasy. MoonHunter has even inspired me (indirectly) to do Steampunk on the continent of Aumethorion.

Coming up:-Dreams revisited: My players demanded that I describe dreams better.-Of Saints: The heroes have their champions too! And no Champion of good are greater than the Saints, great heroes that have ascended while alive (The Avatars of Good) or dead (The lingering spirits)!-Of Angels: Imprisoned by the very Gods, the angels try to fulfill their original task of keeping the balance. This is not easy when the Gods are the ones that unbalance things the most.-Spellcasting: Inspired by the debates about spells and spellcasting, I will describe how magic works in Coldforged.-The brooding faerie tale atmosphere of the Acaian Islands. More fairy tale than actually brooding or dark. Deep forests and reef filled seas, metropolitan cities and age old struggles. (Slightly high fantasy this, but it will be good high fantasy)

I think that Coldforged might lose something if you took a lot of the dark fantasy out of it. I mean, dark fantasy is just what it is, and, in a way, dark fantasy is your genre. It works for you- it is like clay in your hands, from what I've seen.

In any case, don't throw out all the dark fantasy... Pretty pleeeeease.

By all means, no. I won't abandon the darkness of my setting. But have you ever read a book, in which all is black? There is no hope, there are no heroes, there is nothing worth fighting for...

I compose my plots from different elements, and the prime element for my players are many of those described in the "loot and rewards" thread.

Besides being a dark and cold place, where the gods themselves are fallen and flawed monstrosities, there are different themes to different parts of Coldforged.

Quote from: "Dhargenas Themes"

Dhargenaas is the most dark of all, especially the province of Silmar in Silmaroth and the Conquered lands in the Empire.This setting is the one I have written most about earlier and I will thus not detail it further here.

The Acaian Islands are exotic and strange, akin to a dark and mysterious midsummernight fairytale. They are the most peaceful and light spirited of the different areas and could be described as a misty celtic* saga. I imagine that the Strolenite EchoMirage would love this part of Coldforged. (It is that dreamy and mysterious)

The continent of Aumethorion is where huge city states, metropolises of garguantean size, vye for power in endless and devastating wars. It is always smoke on the horizon as the warrior clans rape and murder their way across the continent. So the people flock to the cities for protection while the indebted and the slaves labour in the fields to feed the citizens.

The volcanic chain of islands known as Valkarhoth is where the dragon worshipping Valkarians live in the mountains, in monestaries and small secluded towns, or along the coastline in numerous villages. These coastal villages are built partially in the sea, and this is where the coastal Valkarians build black sloops and barques. Then, come spring, countless numbers of these ships gather outside the capital of Keo-Shu, before they descend upon the other nations, to pillage and loot. Like rapacious vultures and bringers of doom they are, and only sad remnants and mutilated corpses remain after they have left.

And at last the largest continent of them all: The Old Continent. This is where civilization first began, this is where an all encompassing war left the greatest nation of all shattered and in ruins. Now wilderness has overgrown most of the land and it is a hostile and dangerous place, full of alien** predators and forgotten riches. There are a few nations left, but their continued existance is threatened by the alien terrors that descend upon them from the wilderness.

*Celtic in landscape and feel. NOT any druids or stone circles.**Alien as in foreign and unknown.

As you see it is enough war and ruin, darkness and horror for everyone Anyone who thinks this is a ridiculous amount of warfare should read some history books and realize that they are indeed wrong.

This is just a rough description, and will be explained in alot more detail at a later stage. But as for now I need a break, and what better break than to contribute to Ageratos and describing the PCs allies and rewards in Coldforged? My players must have something to appreciate you know, whether it is ascending or just a short rest before they are once again on the run...

Coldforged will in no way change, but I will detail those elements that the heroes cling to (in addition to their belief in the Gods, misplaced as it may be (in some cases at least)). I will also work on the Acaians and Valkarhoth, as they are lighter spirited places with a slightly altered theme. (The other continents still retain their theme)

Conclusion: I won't throw out anything. I will just describe what my players yearn for. What makes the setting playable. Heroism, bravery, and glorious battle against all odds and fiendish horrors.

Ohhh... One more thing: I will most probably create loads and loads of scenarios too. I am not that keen on setting design, but I LOVE scenario design. I will try to update my setting to describe those areas that a published scenario is about (the scenarioes above are just short summaries and not the finished product).

By the way, I am intrigued and surprised by your description of the Gods as "fallen and flawed monstrosities"! I knew that the Gods of Coldforged were not exactly ideal, but I had no idea that they were that off-the-mark. To describe the God of thousands of people as a "monstrosity" is no small thing.Therefore, I am eagerly awaiting your description of the Gods.

Hmmm... I could have sworn that I added (some of them at least) after that statement. Well, lemme tell you: SOME OF THEM are that flawed, while others, like Lumaratha, are indeed good. It is complex and is all about the Pantheon, their origin, their reasons for the creation, their lusts and pleasuers, their internal bickerings, and their opposition to other powers, like "The Dreamer", the demons (which are also their servants), the Angels (which they fear and keep imprisoned). Some other gods appear to be other than is their true nature. Some are flawed and fallen monstrosoties.

They are not "black and white" in any case and their monstrousity are often in the eyes of the beholder. But the statement "false and selfish" would probably apply on a large number of the Gods.

Me being upset was not the reason why I removed it though. I removed it because I needed time to work on my projects and preparing for my exams. It was a desperate measure and it worked, and will continue working until somewhere between the 8th of june and the 18th of june. Then I will launch the forum Coldforged campaign AND put the posts back in place.

The only thing that will take some time before it is reposted are the campaigns, and that is purely because my players discovered that I use this site for preparations. I gotta keep the campaigns hidden for that very reason. The prophecies campaign is nearing its end and will be reposted.

As for the stuff without links... I have to translate that stuff or create it first.

As Coldforged has gotten its own forum, I have been restructuring the setting information. Now more threads have been created, and still more will come. There are some bits I am not satisfied with yet, such as the Organizations, Saints, Dreams and the Barrow Dragon... You can expect upgrades though I am more fond of creating new stuff. If anyone have the time to help me pointing a finger at stuff that should be improved, I'd be grateful...

I need an introduction for the setting, to be posted in stead of "Dark Fantasy Setting" in the main forum.

Quote from: "Suggestion number 1"

Coldforged Dark Fantasy and Horror: Mighty armies clash and sorcerous thunder rolls over the landscape. The Holy Order hunts those guilty of foul wizardry, and the barbarian nations descend from the mountains, intent on rape, pillage and murder. These are lands where the people worship uncaring and flawed Gods; lands where Prophet-Kings rule and ancient manuscripts are the law. But the Gods are not unchallenged, and despite all of their efforts their creation is under siege by those who preceded it

Problems: 1) Must be made more elegant.2) Coldforged is more than Dark Fantasy and Horror3) Must catch the essence of the setting. I am unsure if this covers the essential parts.

Coldforged Roleplaying: Mighty armies clash and sorcerous thunder rolls over the landscape. The Holy Order pursues those suspected guilty of foul witchcraft, and the Barbarian Nations descend from the mountains; a rapacious horde intent on rape, pillage and murder. These are lands where the people worship uncaring, cruel and flawed Gods; lands where Prophet-Kings and decadent Lords rule.

Coldforged Philosophy:I was always a fan of Warhammer, Call of Cthulhu, and Rune Quest. Those RPGs form the cultural heritage I built Coldforged upon. Additionally I am inspired by medieval europe, the Catholic Church, World History in general, Folklore, and, I must add, Steven Eriksons Malazan books. Coldforged is played differently table top than on the web. The web rules are simplified for ease of use and take the back seat to the roleplaying. They are more like indicators of how a player should perform his character, than any actual law. On tabletop evenings we have a different system which, roughly, resembles a mix between Call of Cthulhu and the system used in the computer game Deus Ex I.

People might think Coldforged is very action oriented. That is true, but it is not that much combat action, even though the prologue of Shadows of War might give another impression. There is alot of baclground strife and conflict, and combat surely has its place, but I value the story, the dialogue, the setting, as well as suspense equally high, if not higher. Combat is necessary as is the "promise of death" for those who fail. Death is the means by which suspense can be created. Only by having a truly lethal atmosphere will the players be kept on their toes. But by all means: If they play good, they will most likely survive.

I kill my darlings: No NPC will ever be sacred in the Coldforged setting. There won't be any nigh immortal champions of good to get under your (or my) skin. There will be champions of "good", there will be cardinals of "evil", but they sure ain't safe where they are perched. Nothing annoys me more than holier than thou arch-mages and Paladins Everlasting. That does NOT translate to me killing all important characters, only that they are touchable. This goes for the PCs too. One day they might defeat a dragon*, the next they might die at the hands of a street thug.

*(immensly difficult in a skill based game as Coldforged is... The characters does not increase in Hit Points and such and has a flat pool that nigh cannot be increased)

So what does a typical Coldforged Campaign and Scenario constitute of? Well, let me explain:

The Plots:In Coldforged a single scenario will contain a main ingredient from the following list:Dialogue, Combat, Cloak 'n Dagger, Problem Solving: Puzzle or Mystery, Political Intrigue, Exploring, Character Portraying, Crafting or Ceremonial Magic (Terms explained below). This component is the base ingredient and then I use other elements as spice to buff the scenario up. A campaign contains several over arching meta plots that connect the individual scenarios to a whole. I like to think about the scenarios as stand alone adventures, while the campaign is a grand saga of events. Throughout Scenarios and Campaigns I use and abuse foreshadowing, prophecy, divination, rumours and cinematic storytelling. These keywords are at the core of the setting.

There are several kinds of campaigns:-The family saga = Follow a powerful family line through the centuries. Witness their rise and fall. A far more exciting campaign type than it seems: The family saga can be a great experience for any PC. (Just ask my players)

-The War Saga = War threatens the land and brave adventurers must rise to the call. Manfred has an excellent thread about warfare. The Shadows of War forum game is a War Saga.

-The Explorers' Journey = The players brave the ferocious seas and travel to foreign lands. This campaign details their journey step by step, and scenario by scenario.

-The Career Saga = The players play professionals, either in a guild or organization or perhaps even the army, and we follow that career through a number of years. Some guilds tend to have a tad similar work opportunities.

-The Grand Mix = A dash of this and a bit of that. This approach is a bastard mix of some or all of the above.

Quote from: "Terms explained"

Dialogue = The act of talking with other characters or NPCs

Character Portraying = The act of exploring the life of a character. Relatives, estates, personal history, romance and personal enemies are important parts of this aspect. Players usually love this.

Political Intrigue = Be it on the divine or mundane level, political intrigues are often onion layered and thus more than they appear at first. Political intrigues can be confusingly mind twisting and often cause players some grief. I love political intrigue, especially playing on old stereotypes of this genre and making my players believe they have ended up with a stereotype... They make such funny mistakes when they grow smug.

Problem Solving: Mystery = Detective work to discover the cause of some unexplainable series of events, phenomenon or similar.

Problem Solving: Puzzle = Riddle that has to be solved, mantra that needs to be chanted, keys that needs to be found, puzzle lock that needs to be opened and so on. I never use abstract mathematical riddles akin to those found in IQ tests, as they ruin the atmosphere. Every riddle ought to have a natural place in the story and should not be detrimental to the gameplay.

Cloak 'n Dagger = The act of sneaking unseen through buildings, alleys and forests to evade detection and gain some kind of advantage by doing so. A genre of stories greatly appreciated by some players. Having a skill based game means that ALL can participate and not only the "thief".

Exploring = The act of investigating foreign woods, deserts, mountains, plains, structures and underground complexes. Players never map their progress as the structures are seldom that large and they have access to world maps.

Ceremonial Magic = Magic Ceremonies can be roleplaying experiences in themselves. As players explore the more advanced elements of magic in an attempt to achieve their goal, the situation is roleplayed properly. Anyone who has summoned an entity in Call of Cthulhu (provided they had a good GM) knows how exciting a ritual can be.

Update: The mosaic portals that harness the power of the Wild Teleportation Conduits have been renamed the Ancient Gateways. They got this name because most were created long ago, and because the old name, The Hearts of Passage, was lame.